Two Car Accidents in Ferndale, WA Last Monday Night Blocked Lanes

Two car accidents in Ferndale, WA

The first car accident was a multi-vehicle accident involving four vehicles in a chain reaction of rear-end collisions. The accident happened on Slater Road between Haxton Way and Red River Road; it closed the roadway at 5:30 p.m. All people involved were treated and released at the scene.

The second accident happened about an hour later at 6:40 p.m. and blocked one lane of Grandview Road. The two-vehicle crash happened at the intersection of Olson and Grandview Roads. Altogether, four people were in the vehicles and one was transported to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. One of the vehicles landed on its roof in the ditch. Emergency responders gave credit to the cars’ airbags for preventing major injuries.

Could defensive driving have prevented the multi-car rear-end crash?

Defensive driving is defined as driving in a manner that goes above and beyond basic traffic laws and procedures. It is the practice of using safe driving strategies that enable motorists to address identified hazards in a well-informed, safe way; thereby reducing their risk of being in a car accident. Defensive driving techniques do prevent car accidents.

Basic defensive driving techniques include keeping a safe distance between yourself and the car in front of you – especially in wet or icy weather, staying out of the way of aggressive drivers, never cutting off another driver, avoiding distractions and keeping an eye on the road for obstructive debris.

Read-end collisions are one of the most common types of car accidents and a leading cause of personal injuries. Rear-end crashes typically occur because of an unexpected stop in the flow of traffic or because of a distracted or intoxicated driver. According to data from the National Traffic Safety Bureau (NTSB), there were more than 1.7 million rear-end car crashes in 2012 alone that resulted in more than 1,700 fatalities and 500,000 injured people.

Causes of rear-end crashes

The most common factors that play into rear-end collisions are:

Distracted driving

Impaired driving

Distractions on the road

Reckless driving

Drowsy driving

Inhibited vision from rain or sun glare

Tailgating

Road rage

Racing

Failing to notice a sudden stop in traffic, particularly on the freeway.

Most common injuries from rear-end collisions

There are a wide range of injuries that can result from a rear-end car accident but the most common include:

Spine injuries (most common injury caused by this type of collision).

Whiplash caused by the sudden, violent movement of the neck and head upon impact.

Broken bones; particularly in hands, spine, feet, skull and ribcage.

Traumatic brain injury: can be from a skull fracture, an object piercing the skull and brain or a concussion caused by impact. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), motor vehicle accidents are the second leading cause of TBI (17.3%) but resulted in the biggest percentage of TBI-related deaths (31.8%).

Facial disfigurement/scarring occur when a driver or passenger is thrown violently against the dashboard or headrest instead of into an airbag.

Partial or complete paralysis occurs when the injury to the brain or spine is severe. The particular spinal discs or the portion of the brain affected will also dictate the type of paralysis.

If you or a loved one is suffering from an injury as a result of an accident or error caused by the negligence of another, you have enough on your plate. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times bigger with the help of a lawyer. Call the personal injury lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!